Disposable self-packaging dustpan kit

ABSTRACT

A disposable carton is provided with a charge of granular absorbent material. The package is formed with at least one flat wall, one edge of which is contiguous to a removable panel whereby the package may be opened, the contents distributed over spillage and swept back into the box by means of an included paddle.

[ Feb. 8, 1972 United States Patent Sweeney 2,799,563 7/1957 Shenker3,286,826 11/1966 St011.......... 3,345,670 10/1967 [54] DISPOSABLESELF-PACKAGING DUSTPAN KIT [72] Inventor:

Robert Sweeney, 10 Wilton Drive, Wilmington, Mass. 01887 July 17,1969

Netherlands......................... l5/257.1

[22] Filed:

Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Attorney-Morse, Altman & Oates [21]Appl. No.: 842,668

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cluded paddle.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,560,649 Homaday..........................206/47UX 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB 8 I972 FIGQ2 INVENTOR ROBERTSWEENEY FiG.4

FIG?) QZIM+UaIII ATTORNEYS DISPOSABLE SELF-PACKAGING DUSTPAN KITBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates generally to packages and more particularly is directed towardsa disposable, self-packaging, dustpan kit containing a charge ofgranular absorbent material.

2. History of the Prior Art In U.S. application Ser. No. 744,868, filedJuly 15, 1968, for Collapsible Container Dustpan Assembly for SolidCleaning Material by Lawrence Levenson and assigned to the same assigneeof the present application, there is disclosed a wedgeshaped cartonhaving articulated top and bottom sections which, when closed, define apackage containing a charge of granular absorbent material andpaperboard paddle. The product is used for cleaning up various kinds ofspillage by opening the package, folding back the articulated sectionsone against the other to define an open tray, pouring the granularmaterial on the spillage and then using the paddle to sweep the spillageand the granules back into the tray. The tray sections are then refoldedback into a closed position and the package discarded. It is an objectof the present invention to provide improvements in packages on theforegoing type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention features a disposable dustpanself-packaging kit comprising a carton containing a charge of granularabsorbent material and having at least one flat wall and a removablepanel contiguous to said wall along a straight edge thereof. A handpaddle is also included. Removal of the panel permits the granularmaterial to be deposited on spillage and by use of the paddle swept backinto the package which is used as a dustpan. The straight edge of thewall formed by the removal of the panel permits the spillage andmaterial to be swept entirely into the carton in an efficient manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of aself-packaging, disposable dustpan kit made in accordance with theinvention,

FIG. 2 is a view showing the kit of FIG. 1 in use, and,

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are views in perspective showing modifications of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS.1 and 2 of the drawings, the reference character generally indicates adisposable, selfcontained and self-packaged dustpan kit for use incleaning various types of spillages. The kit is organized about a carton12 of a relatively stiff paperboard material, for example and, in theillustrated embodiment, the carton is of rectangular configurationcomprised of end walls 14 and 16, front and rear walls 18 and 20, andtop and bottom walls 22 and 24. In the FIG. I embodiment all of thewalls are rectangular in outline and flat and may be set up byconventional box-forming equipment.

Forming part of the front and top walls 18 and 22 is a removable panel26 which is detachably connected to a leading edge 28 of the bottom wall24, to lines 30 and 32 of the front wall 18 and to a generally U-shapedline 34 extending into the top wall 22, all defining a cutout opening inthe carton. The removable panel 26 may be opaque paperboard, the same asthe remaining portion of the box, or preferably, is of a transparentplastic material such as cellophane or the like. If the panel is opaquepaperboard the tear line preferably is formed by perforations whereas ifthe panel is plastic it may be heat sealed or otherwise bonded to thecarton walls.

Enclosed in the carton is a charge of granular absorbent material 36such as ground clay or the like and which may include odor-killingadditives. Typically, the granular material 36 only partly fills thecarton so as to not overcrowd the package when sweeping the contents andspillage back into the container. While the granular material is shownin loose form within the carton, if desired, it may be separatelywrapped in a bag, the bag being within the box.

Enclosed also in the carton is a hand paddle 38 which is used to brushor scrape the granular absorbent material 36 and the spillage back intothe carton as suggested in FIG. 2. The paddle 38 typically is formedfrom a relatively stifi paperboard material and is more or lessrectangular being formed with a straight edge 40 which cooperates withthe straight edge 28 in getting all of the spillage and granules intothe box.

The package is used by first tearing away the removable panel 26 to openthe package, then pouring the contents onto the spillage. The paddle maybe used to spread the granules around to insure that all the spillage iscovered and then by resting the carton on the floor, with the leadingedge 28 flush against the floor, the paddle is used to brush or scoopthe spillage and the granules back into the box. When the spillage andgranules are in the box, the entire unit may then be thrown away.Optionally, an outer sleeve 42 may be provided to permit reclosing ofthe package once the spillage is swept into the carton.

Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, there is shown a modificationof the invention and in this embodiment a carton 12 of a constructionsimilar to the carton 12 in FIG. I is provided with the exception that awall 18 joins top and bottom walls 22 and 24' at an angle to define abeveled configuration similar to that of a conventional dustpan.

In the FIG. 4 embodiment a carton 12" is in the form of a wedge havingtriangular end walls 14" and 16".

The FIG. 5 embodiment is similar to that of the FIG. 4 embodiment withthe exception that a removable panel 26 is of the same opaque materialas the remaining portion of the carton rather than being transparent asin the prior embodiments. In the FIG. 5 embodiment the removable panelserves a double function in that it is a removable closure which is usedas a paddle once it is detached from the carton.

The single layer leading straight edge defined by the working edge ofthe opening when the removable panel is separated from the canon makesit much easier to return all of the granules and the spillage into thecarton since the edge can be made to lie flush against the floor orother surface. The rectangular configuration of the FIG. I embodiment ispreferred since the conventional shape facilitates forming, packing,shipping, storing and displaying on store shelves.

Having thus described the invention what I claim and desire to obtain byLetters Patent of the United States is:

l. A disposable self-packaging dustpan kit, comprising in combination a.a relatively stiff carton having interconnecting walls forming a closedcontainer wherein at least one of said walls is flat,

b. another wall connected to said one wall and extending angularlytherefrom along an edge thereof,

c. said other wall being formed with a tear line extending in part alongthe edge of said one wall and in part inwardly of the other edges ofsaid other wall to define a removable relatively stiff panel in the formof a paddle which when detached forms an opening through said other wallinto said carton,

d. a quantity of granular absorbent material prepackaged within saidcarton, and,

e. a relatively stiff, open-ended, fitted out sleeve slidably enclosingsaid carton.

2. A disposable self-packaging dustpan kit according to claim 1including a paddle combined therewith.

3. A disposable self-packaging dustpan kit according to claim 1 whereinsaid panel is transparent.

4. A disposable self-packaging dustpan kit according to claim I whereinsaid carton is rectilinear.

5. A disposable self-packaging dustpan kit according to claim I whereinsaid carton is wedge shaped.

6. A disposable self-packaging dustpan kit according to claim 1 whereinsaid carton is rectilinear and said other wall is formed with a beveledportion adjoining said one wall.

1. A disposable self-packaging dustpan kit, comprising in combination a.a relatively stiff carton having interconnecting walls forming a closedcontainer wherein at least one of said walls is flat, b. another wallconnected to said one wall and extending angularly therefrom along anedge thereof, c. said other wall being formed with a tear line extendingin part along the edge of said one wall and in part inwardly of theother edges of said other wall to define a removable relatively stiffpanel in the form of a paddle which when detached formS an openingthrough said other wall into said carton, d. a quantity of granularabsorbent material prepackaged within said carton, and, e. a relativelystiff, open-ended, fitted out sleeve slidably enclosing said carton. 2.A disposable self-packaging dustpan kit according to claim 1 including apaddle combined therewith.
 3. A disposable self-packaging dustpan kitaccording to claim 1 wherein said panel is transparent.
 4. A disposableself-packaging dustpan kit according to claim 1 wherein said carton isrectilinear.
 5. A disposable self-packaging dustpan kit according toclaim 1 wherein said carton is wedge shaped.
 6. A disposableself-packaging dustpan kit according to claim 1 wherein said carton isrectilinear and said other wall is formed with a beveled portionadjoining said one wall.